The Letters of Annabel Lee

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 25, 6 January 1928, Page 6

The Letters of Annabel Lee

My Dear Elizabeth, A democratic and healthful little journey is the holiday daylight trip from Wellington to Lyttelton, and a time-saver withal,. though I would not counsel it as a rest cure for nerves that are taut, tempers that are frayed, through grappling with the fell touch of circumstances, and "doing out the duty’ so dear to the

heart of preachers who abound both in and out of the pulpit. Smoothly glittered Cook Strait, east and west the seawinds blew caressingly as the zephyrs upon Bolticellis Venus as she lingered on her ocean shell; while the cheerful and numerous trippers pranced, paraded and sprawled on the decks, Youthful gladiators ramped, roared, and made pillow-fight attacks on the unwary from a vantage point on a species of nautical haystack, and nobody said them nay, as apparently nobody does say nay to the Twentieth Century Child. Lest I grow prosy, however, on the old, old subject of young, young delinquency, let me tell you of Yellowlocks, christened Kaiserine, which name we. both agreed was much too important for everyday use. She stood upon a broad plank, and narrowly, but not unkindly surveyed me with twilight blue eyes.

"You should have your _hairat

waved," she remarked with kindness and truth, "but I do like your stockings!" A stickler for style, deportment, emphatically a . behaviourist, she piroutted before me. "Can you see my bloomers? Gentlemen always laugh when they see a girl’s bloomers," she informed me, as one who had knowledge. By turning a blind eye to certain aspects of a microscopic skirt, I was able to bring reassurance to this budding Lorelei of seven summers, who, shaking demure honey-coloured braids over thin shoulders, told me that Santa Claus had brought to the bedside a frock of yellow frills, also many-hued handkerchiefs, and new boots for Georgy, the latter podgy hero of many freckles and a grownup peaked cap, being brought along for me to see and admire, with disastrous results, for after one glance, Five-Year-Old broke into loud lamenstation and hurried away to a private and perilous lair at the ship’s side, followed by sister Kaiserine. Accompanied by her plus-fours spouse, a lovely lady paced the deck in slim shoes, of crocodile skin, immaculately built suit, her bronze Se ( ) ( )s () () () ETE (

Eton cut shining and slick and chic. From the shelter of her arm, in resplendent modishness a supercilious doll, tailored to the last inch, smirked seasonal greetings. "The best they could do" was the ribald comment of my neighbour, a sensible young woman with a real and very engaging infant in her arms. After a long and paralysing wait

t Lyttelton, under a hot sun, we clutched the skirts of happy chance, and, with our baggage, fied from boat to waiting train. In Christchurch, our temporary Mecca, the streets were filled with a gay and good-looking crowd on Christmas Eve, and the shops, as ever, the best in the Dominion. Ballantynes and Beaths claimed me, where were gorgeous and graceful gowns of georgette and milanese, plain and pretty nets, and multitudinous trifles, utilitarian and otherwise, to be purchased at a quite moderate cost. Thankfully I acquired an exactlyright, eleventh-hour gift for my rich and huffy namesake, Aunt Annabel, whom.I had totally forgotten until on the high seas. And so to bed, so to speak, on the nocturnal train journey to Dunedin; where we arrived at 7 a.m. after a panorama of roseate hues of early dawn over the waters of Blueskin Bay, than which one could not imagine a lovelier vision in this world or the next. The little Scotish town looked a jewel in the early morning light against its background of emerald hills; and one forgot. the cold of other days and the grey drift of rain that sometimes, for so long, shuts out: > () CE () EE (EE () a (Ee

the loveliness. In the Public Gardens flame tropical blooms in that begonia house which is a monument to the public spirit and generosity of one of the benefactors of Dunedin, the well-loved city of many bequests, among the greatest and latest being that of Grace Lilian Mitchell. True t6 the land of her birth and up-bringing, where she is re-

membered as a golden-haired, warm-hearted schoolgirl, she returned to New Zealand, after many wanderings, not so many months ago, and bequeathed half of her large estate to those in need, in particular, sufferers through the Great War. Remembered and blessed in years to come by fatherless children and widows, those who are desolate and oppres; sed, the honoured name of Lilian Mitchell will be held high in the annals of her country. At All Saints’ Church, after a short and beautiful service, heard a sincere and artistic rendering of "Come Unto Me," from "The Messiah," by Miss Sumner, who often sings from station 1YA, her charming voice and musical knowledge being familiar to those lucky enough to possess sets permit~ ting them to open "the ivory gate and golden" of the wonders of wireless. At the Otago Boys’ High

School many destined to become figures in the world, picked plums from the educational orchard, amongst them, perchance, being the latest addition to the Dominion’s judiciary---Wellington’s Galahad of the Laundry, who went forth one morning to collect clean clothes, and proceeded to slay the dragon, eject the rude, rough: roisterer, and disturber of unprotected femininity. The same evening came the announcement of the appointment to the Bench, all this being, you will agree, quite in the ancient tradition of beauty in distress, heroic rescue and high honour heaped upon valiant knight-errant. How hast thou risen from blood-shed, O Lucifer, son of the woolsack! And so the first farewell of the New Year, in which we all hope for something better-a clean pageanother chance, Ewery day is a fresh beyinning, Listen, my soul, to the glad refrain; And, in spite of old sorrow and possible sinning, Take heart with the day and begin again, Your

ANNABEL

LEE